Page 12 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

11 AELIA

By the time we reached Ruska, a healthy glow had returned to my face.

Home to humans and magus alike, the city overflowed with culture and character. Made rich by the Fates, at the height of their power, kings would send barges of gold to the city to curry their favor. Though few believers remained, the city still bustled with life.

Our horses’ hooves clicked on the cobblestones as we made our way into the heart of the city, passing through its many layers. Stone houses on the outskirts dated back thousands of years, while the affluent part of the city boasted huge granite and marble palaces.

“The Court of Storms has an embassy here for state visits,” Caiden said as we pulled our horses into the stable. “It’s around the corner.”

Large stalls filled with straw adorned with intricately carved wooden doors and chandeliers hung overhead. A lavish stable for the affluent of the city.

“How many days for the ’orses?” the elderly stable master asked as he looked over his spreadsheet.

“At least three,” Caiden replied.

“One gold coin per day, per horse…” He tallied up our total, his fingers shaking with age.

Caiden plopped a sack of gold coins on the desk.

The man’s eyes widened. “Anything you need, sir, please let me know.” Humans were always kinder to others when they knew they had coin.

We left the stables and headed for the safe house, located down a long alley. Had it not been for two lanterns embellished with the crest of the Stormlands—a lightning bolt striking a single tree—I would have passed the place by.

Caiden ran a jeweled finger over the stone wall.

A door of solid, cold-pressed iron appeared. He tapped on the surrounding bricks, and the door swung open, revealing a plush townhome draped in linens of dark blue and silver. The colors of the Stormlands. After sleeping on the ground for several nights, I fought the urge to run to the nearest bed.

A small hobgoblin no bigger than a toddler with the face of a mouse appeared.

“Eek! Prince Caiden.” His whiskers twitched as he straightened his satin suit. Hobgoblins or “hobs” were household sprites known as much for their cleaning as their tricks.

“It’s alright, Ernie. We won’t be here long. Please have rooms made up for each of us.”

“Prince Caiden. A message came for you.” He handed Caiden a small roll of parchment.

Caiden examined it before handing it over to Lucius. “For you.”

Lucius’s eyes widened at the sight of the script. “Excellent.”

“Thank you, Ernie,” Caiden said.

The hob bowed and returned to his duties. His long ears dragged on the floor behind him.

We filed into the large dining room, where Caiden laid out a map of the palace at the Court of Sorrows on a dark mahogany table.Glass lamps painted the room in a warm golden glow. Their flickering light danced off the ornate wallpaper decorated with flowers. This house must have cost a fortune.

“Your target will be Tharan Greenblade. The infamous bastard son of the Alder King,” Lucious said.

My skin tingled. “Sounds exciting.”

“Don’t get any ideas, Springborn.” He tapped a painting of an empty chair on the wall. “Show us Tharan Greenblade.”

An image appeared in the chair. Tall, handsome, with cutting features. Lord Tharan Greenblade stared back at me. A jagged scar split his face in two. One eye clouded white, the other a piercing green. High cheekbones shadowed hollow cheeks, and a curved nose added to the elegance of his look. Sloped ears peeked from underneath a blanket of burgundy waves.

Terrifying and beautiful at the same time, my heart fluttered at the sight of him.

“Close your mouth, Aelia. You look like a fish,” Caiden snapped at me.

Amolie whistled at the sight of him. “Where has he been hiding?”

“He rarely leaves the Woodland Realm, but once he was known throughout the land as a fearsome warrior before fading into obscurity. Now, I hear he’s a lush playboy, amusing himself with pleasures of the flesh,” Lucius said, a warning in his tone.

“I can work with that.” I tapped my index finger on my lips, staring at the painting. “Do you think he has training against telepaths?”

Lucius shrugged. “If he did, it’s probably long since lapsed. Everyone thought telepaths had been erased after the war. I’m surprised Erissa found one.”

“Think you’re charming enough to catch a prince, Springborn?” Caiden picked at his nails lazily .

“I caught you, didn’t I? I’m sure I can hook another one.” Years of trial and error taught me you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Caiden rolled his eyes.

Tension filled the space between us.

“I’ll need to get him alone. You will have to provide cover for me. Planting an idea is like threading a needle. You don’t always get it on the first try.”

“Of course,” Lucius turned to the map on the table. “This is the Nightmare Palace.”

I stared at the map—a maze of corridors and doors leading to nowhere. “This is… complex.”

“It’s chaos.” Lucius sighed. “But we can use that to our advantage. It’s the perfect place for getting lost with someone.”

I lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and leaned back in my chair. “Easy. I’ve done this job a million times.”

“Are you sure you can do this, Aelia? There will be a lot of temptation there.” Caiden gave me a condescending look.

“I’ve been clean for weeks.” I held out a steady hand. “I think I can handle one night.”

“I guess this will be a test.”

Ernie entered the room, wearing a black suit with silver trim. “Dinner is served, Your Highness.”He wrinkled his furry nose at me, and I abruptly took my boot off the table.

From the kitchen came a line of other mouse-faced hobs, each garnishing a silver platter. We all took our places at the table as, one by one, the platters revealed a myriad of foods. Roasted lamb, a cooked goose, fruits, and vegetables graced the heavy oak table. My stomach grumbled at the smell of herbs and spices wafting through the air.

Ernie poured each of us a glass of wine before returning to the kitchen .

I tore into a lamb chop, savoring each bite. Famished from five years of living on cigarettes and hate.

“Easy there, Springborn, save some for the rest of us,” Roderick said, tearing into a goose leg. As sylph, they consumed much more food than a human. Wielding magic made their metabolism fast.

As the night wore on, our companions headed to their respective chambers, until only Caiden and I remained.

“Not tired?” I took a sip of hot cocoa.

Caiden shook his head, slouching into a plush chair with a glass of brandy. “I rarely sleep these days.”

“I haven’t slept in a decade. Dealing with my father’s illness and then Gideon—I feel like a sponge that’s been squeezed out too many times—ragged and useless.”

“That would make anyone frazzled.” Caiden took a drink. “You’re going to have to turn on the charm when we go to the Court of Sorrows.”

“I am charming.”

Caiden barked out a laugh. “Sure, ten years ago.”

Little did Caiden know I had charmed royalty all over Moriana.

Breaking into someone’s mind required trust. You couldn’t just dive into it. The subconscious protected itself at all costs. You had to entice them to let you in.

Many nights, I laid on the laps of dignitaries, pouring honeyed words into their ears until they became putty in my hands. Then I went in. Sometimes, I did it right in front of entire courts. No one knew. They assumed I was whispering sweet nothings, when really, I was hard at work, rewriting their memories or erasing them entirely. I have yet to find a drug to match the high of crushing a king’s mind while his court looked on, oblivious. Simply delicious. Just thinking about it made my pulse quicken .

“You don’t think I know how to be charming anymore?” I gave Caiden an incredulous look.

“You’ve been out in the wild for years. Your emissary days are far behind you.”

I leaned into him. The smell of sweet liquor permeated his lips. “How do you think I made a living all these years?” I slid my thumb down his jaw.

His muscles tensed under my touch.

“I can see into the hearts of men. Their desires, their wants, their needs.” Closer now, my breath on his neck. Goosebumps speckled his skin.

“Your tricks won’t work on me, Aelia.” He swallowed hard before pushing me away.

Flicking my hair behind my back, I said, “That’s what you think.”